Do you want to gain a Level 2 National Standard in Retail while getting paid? Tesco are currently recruiting for their Stronger Starts Retail Apprenticeship Programme.
Location: Roles in stores across London
Hours: Full time
Salary: £22, 501 per year
Start date: 27 September 2025
Programme Duration: 12 months
Application Closing Date: Apply now to avoid disappointment. Apprentices are selected on first come, first serve basis.
If you are a current or former Centrepoint resident or service user, you may be eligible for support from a Job, Education & Training (JET) Advisor. A JET Advisor can help you with your CV, application and interview support. Email jetreferral@centrepoint.org to get support.
About Tesco
Tesco are the second biggest employer in the UK employing some 330,000 people!
Tesco have 3,000 stores across the UK. You can work for Tesco in Stores, Distribution Centres and also in their Head Office. Head Offices roles include roles in Buying, Marketing, Technology, Finance, Human Resources and more.
About the Apprenticeship Programme
Our Stronger Starts Retail Apprenticeship delivered by Lifetime Training won’t just give you a stronger start towards an exciting and rewarding career with us, it will support you to develop new skills, build your confidence and learn about all areas of retail, as well as getting hands-on practical experience of working in different areas of our store. We've partnered with The King's Trust, one of the UK’s leading youth charities who are experts in supporting young people to transition into work with confidence. If you have the passion and commitment to succeed, this could be a fantastic opportunity, you could even become a Shift Leader at the end of your apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship is delivered in store and takes a minimum of 12 months to complete. You’ll spend time doing a range of activities from completing learning on a tablet device you're provided with, to putting in to practice your learning on the shop floor. As part of the apprenticeship programme, you may need to achieve qualifications in maths and English called Functional Skills. These qualifications are the equivalent to holding GCSEs in those subjects. If you’ve previously achieved these at Grade C/Grade 4 or above, you won't need to complete these as part of the programme.
Once you've completed the programme, you'll be awarded your Level 2 National Standard in Retail, which is equivalent to 5 GCSE passes.
What makes a successful Retail Employee?
The real success in this role will come from getting stuck in, working as part of a team as well getting to know and serving our customers and colleagues. We're particularly wanting to hear from school leavers who are aged 16-18 years and applicants who were eligible for free school meals and/or attend a state-funded school.
What are the benefits at Tesco?
We offer excellent benefits that help make Tesco a great place to work. These include but aren’t limited to:
- Salary: minimum starting salary £22,501.44 (36 hours per week)
- Holiday allowance: 20 days pro rata plus a personal day - rising to 22 days after 12 months (plus Bank holidays)
- Bonus Scheme**
- Our Virtual GP service provides free and confidential access to an online GP through video GP consultations, and online prescription service for colleagues. The service is also available to families of colleagues who live at the same address for a reduced cost.
- 24/7 access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for you and family members for in the moment emotional support along with free access to a range of wellbeing services supporting you under our new Wellbeing First approach of Body, Mind and Life.
- Colleague Clubcard 10% discount increasing to 15% starting on the last Friday of each month for 3 days (including a 2nd card for a family member)**
- Life Assurance
- Pension Scheme**
- Save As You Earn Scheme**
- Paid Family Leave
- Bike to Work
- Long Service Awards
- Commuter Scheme
What are the eligibility requirements?
To become an Apprentice, you’ll need to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- You have full right to work in the United Kingdom (either through citizenship or a visa) throughout the duration of the apprenticeship. If you are an overseas national, your visa is not subject to any employment restrictions, and you are not on a student visa.*
- You will have been a resident of the UK or a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) for at least 3 consecutive years by September 2025, unless you meet one of the exemptions laid out in Annex A of the document linked here.*
- You are not planning to return to funded education / training for more than 16 hours per week in the 16 months after you've left school.*
- You have not already completed an NVQ/diploma qualification or above in Retail.*
- You will be above the statutory school leaver age by September 2025. To find out the school leavers age for your country please click here.*
- You are available to work 36 hours per week from September 2025.
*These eligibility criteria are set by the Department of Education and are subject to change.
What Next?
Hit the apply button to find out more about this Apprenticeship and apply for the Programme with Tesco!
Remember, if you are a current or former Centrepoint resident or service user, you may be eligible for support from a Job, Education & Training (JET) Advisor. A JET Advisor can help you with your CV, application and interview support. Contact your JET Advisor or email jetreferral@centrepoint.org to get support with this application.
Good Luck!